典 — “code / dictionary” in Japanese

Grade 4てん

Radical ⼋ · radical 12 The building block this kanji is filed under

“code / dictionary” in Japanese is 典, read ten (てん). It is a Grade 4 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 4 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 辞典 (dictionary).

Try it now

What does 典 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	典
Meaning	code / dictionary
Readings	てん
Grade	Grade 4 (Upper)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	辞典 (dictionary)

How to read 典

典 is read ten (てん) depending on the word.

Words with 典

式典
典型
辞典

Learn 典 in real sentences — free

Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.

Start free — no credit card →

Kanji read the same way as 典

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28